The subject matter described and/or illustrated herein relates generally to filters, and more particularly, to a laminate filter.
Filters are used to in a wide variety of systems and environments for filtering a wide variety of fluids. For example, rectangular filters are often used in heating and air-conditioning ducts to filter air used to heat or cool a building. Other examples include radial flow filters used on board a vehicle, and circular filters used in gas mask canisters.
Filters are often pleated to increase an effective surface area of the filter and therefore reduce flow resistance through the filter and increase an efficiency of the filter. The performance of a pleated filter is enhanced or diminished by the ability of the fluid being filtered to pass freely and completely through the filter. In many cases, a distribution of fluid flow through pleated filters is not even across the surface area of the filter. For example, if the pleats are unevenly distributed across the filter the distribution of fluid flow through the filter may be uneven across the surface area of the filter. Moreover, the pleats may deform, collapse, and/or bunch together such that some of the surface area of the filter is reduced and/or obstructed, for example due to fluid pressure applied to an intake side of the filter. Particulates and other debris that collect at the corners of the pleats may also obstruct some of the surface area of the filter. An uneven fluid flow distribution through a filter may increase a pressure drop across the filter and thereby increase flow resistance through the filter, which may decrease the efficiency and/or performance of the filter.
There is a need for a filter having a more even flow distribution across a surface area thereof as compared with at least some known filters.